In Café Metro
by ProudDyspraxicWriter
Summary: When Lara agrees to retrieve Pierre's box, she catches a man staring at her. He knows everything about her, and as they talk, Lara learns what's really important.


**I've been playing Angel of Darkness again and I wanted to write about Kurtis Trent. I had no idea where I was going, and I only knew when I got there. I'm really pleased with this story. It's sweet and endearing and touching. To avoid any confusion, John and Elizabeth are from a series of fanfiction stories I wrote when I was about eight years old and those characters have always stuck with me. I even consider them canon now, so that's why they're mentioned. I wish Crystal Dynamics could see this and add them into the game, but that will never happened XD I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.**

In Café Metro

" And if this doesn't work out, I know where to find you. Don't I, Pierre?" Lara muttered, having a nod returned to her from Pierre the barman.

Lara turned to leave, but as hand barely touched the doorknob, she got a chill down her spine. Deep inside, it felt like there was someone watching her. She whirled around to give Pierre a suspicious glare. Pierre wasn't even looking at her. He was on the phone, talking very fast in French. Lara's gaze slipped to the man sitting in the corner. His cold azure eyes met Lara's cold dark brown eyes. She raised an eyebrow.

" Excuse me. Do you have some sort of death wish? If you do, you've got some nerve," she warned in a slow growl.

" I'm sorry," came a strong American accent slithering out of his mouth. " I couldn't help overhear your conversation. You're very brave to venture into Le Serpent Rouge. There are armed guards _everywhere!_"

" Why are you so concerned? You don't even know me," Lara answered. She felt quite uneasy now.

The man scoffed. " Know you? I know everything there is to know about you."

" Is that so?" She didn't believe this strange man for one instant. " What is my name?"

The man guffawed. " Too easy. Lara Croft."

" I've been in the news a lot lately. You could've just read my name in the papers."

The man smiled slyly. " Your parents are Lord Richard and Lady Amelia of Abbingdon. Your birthday is fourteenth February 1968 and you're five foot nine. Your favourite food is beans on toast and your biggest fear is your aunt's pet Corgis. I even know about John Simmons and your daughter. Elizabeth, was it?"

Lara gasped and her mouth gaped open. " How do you know all that?" she snapped.

" I've known you for a very long time, Lara. You're the Tomb Raider. _The_ Tomb Raider!"

" Tomb Raider? I have a nickname?"

" 'Course you have." Then it all clicked. The man chuckled heartily. " You have no idea, do you?"

" Idea about what?"

" Lara, your fame has sparked a successful series of video games about your adventures. I've played 'em all. Remember Natla?"

Lara sat down at the man's table. She was going to get all the answers she could, even if it meant prying the man's head open with her bare hands. " First, tell me your name."

" I am Kurtis Trent. I'm supposed to stalk you and partner up with you later to defeat Eckhardt."

" John will be pleased to hear about that. Not," Lara mumbled under her breath.

" There is supposed to be some UST between us, but as long as you don't tell him, he'll be OK with it," Kurtis explained.

" UST?"

" Unresolved sexual tension."

" Brilliant. Just so we're clear, I don't find you attractive at all."

Kurtis grinned. " You were always faithful to him. That's admirable."

" Does John miss me?"

There was a brief awkward pause before Kurtis could answer. " He, uh, cries a lot and prays for your safe return every night."

A twinge of guilt lurched in the pit of Lara's stomach. She swallowed hard. " And Elizabeth? Does she miss me too?"

" With all her heart," the strange, all-knowing, god-like person croaked sadly. His voice broke as he tried to hold back tears. " She wonders where you are; what you're doing. She even wonders what you look like."

" What?!" came Lara's astonished hoarse whisper.

" You went missing just after she was born, remember? When you went to Egypt? It was your first mission after giving birth."

It felt like as though Kurtis had punched her in the face. Her family needed her and she was running away from them, putting herself in fatal turmoil in the process. She ran a finger down her auburn plait, straightened her denim jacket and stood up. That determined expression on her face returned.

" Where are you going?" Kurtis asked.

" I haven't been home since 1999. I never got to see my first wedding anniversary. I never got to see my baby grow up. My husband and my daughter need me!"

Lara Croft dashed out of the door. Kurtis watched her from the window. She was sprinting down the road and into the dim morning light. He wore a satisfied grin. His work was done; well, almost. There was still the matter of the rest of the adventure and Pierre's box.

" Hey, what about my box? It has drugs in it!"

Kurtis groaned. " Shut up, you old French fry! Nobody cares about your stupid box!"


End file.
